Chapter 34
Willow
Planning a wedding in two weeks should have been harder, but with the entire town helping, including monsters who didn’t need to sleep and two professional bakers, everything came together effortlessly.
Agnes had even redirected her knitting club to make my dress, a flowing, floor-length gown with a heart-shaped bodice and long bell sleeves like something out of a Stevie Nicks wet dream.
And the veil they’d made for me was embroidered with moons and stars in honor of Wyatt and Witch’s Brew pumpkins and broomsticks in honor of me.
The leaf-covered yard of Wyatt’s grandfather’s house—our house now—backed into the haunted wood and made the perfect ceremony and reception space.
The décor had been a full-town affair too, with little nods to Maple Hollow everywhere we turned: bales of hay for seating and thick plaid blankets to cover them, baskets of multicolored sunflowers and pumpkins dressing the aisles, and overhead, strings of lights that met at a large brass and crystal chandelier in the center.
The witch coven had even cast a good-weather spell.
It was perfect.
I asked Avery and Jordyn to be my bridesmaids, and, of course, I asked Harlow to be my maid of honor. She looked quite dashing in her burgundy suit that matched Jordyn’s dress, a miniature sunflower in the buttonhole on her lapel.
Traditionally, werewolves married under a full moon, then ended the ceremony by shifting and running through the forest as a pack while the other creatures got the reception started.
And I vowed to the pack—my pack—that our union would be no different.
My wedding dress had even been equipped with tearaway seams so that I could shed my human clothing and run as their new queen.
I never thought I’d ever run naked anywhere, let alone with dozens of other people, but apparently, according to Jordyn, dancing naked under the light of the full moon was a common hobby for everyone in town.
We exchanged our vows perfectly timed to the sunset, and I knew the photos would come out with blooms of pink and orange clouds behind the tree branches.
Wyatt and I were beaming and crying in unison as he wrapped his arm around my waist and dipped me for a Hollywood-level kiss.
The crowd cheered and tossed handfuls of autumnal leaves in the air at our first kiss as husband and wife.
Then the pack howled as we faced our guests. Harlow appeared at my side, taking my bouquet and unpinning my veil before my bridesmaids hustled the guests not participating in the pack run into the house to nibble on the most grandiose charcuterie board I’d ever seen, courtesy of Ramona.
Daniel was the first to approach us. He clapped his grandson on the back, his chin held high.
“I’m proud of you.” He looked from Wyatt to me.
“Both of you.” Then he bowed his head in deference to me, and the whole pack followed.
My heart clenched. Daniel’s voice rose to the waiting wolves.
“It’s my greatest honor to present our new alpha and his queen.
” Howls rang out. “Under our sacred moon, we usher them into their power.”
The howling grew louder as Daniel stepped back for Wyatt to address our pack.
“On behalf of my mate and myself, I want to thank you all for your long hours and support to make this night so beautiful. And as we embark on our first run, I make my vow to protect and lead you with strength, love, and pride.”
With that, everyone began shedding their clothes, some shifting into their wolf forms to yip and howl in celebration, before everyone took off toward the tree line until it was just Wyatt and me standing under the chandelier.
“Are you ready?” He tossed his suit jacket onto the nearest bale of hay, then started down the line of buttons on his shirt.
I nodded, pulling at the faux seams holding my dress together. “I’ll give you a head start. Just to be fair.”
He grinned, heat filling his eyes. “Oh, I’ve learned my lesson. I don’t need to take anything easy on you.”
“Good,” I snarked back, letting the loose fabric fall to my feet before scooping it up. I tossed my bundle on top of Wyatt’s jacket, then shimmied out of my underwear.
“We’ll run with them for the first mile. Then Eloise will finish the run for us.”
I cocked my head at him. “What? Why wouldn’t we run with them the entire night?”
A cunning grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Because it’s our wedding night.” He prowled closer. “And I’m going to hunt down my mate under the full moon, and when I catch her”—his mouth hovered over mine as he cupped my cheek—“I’m going to show her that I will never hold myself back again.”
His possessive kiss stole my breath and made my knees weak. When he pulled away, I saw the effect I had on him as well.
“My queen,” he said, holding out a hand for me to follow him.
I started to jog across the open field to where the moonlight melted into the dense forest. The cool evening breeze on my bare skin was electrifying.
Never had I felt more alive. Wyatt wasn’t far behind, but as soon as the sound of two feet hitting the ground turned into four swift paws, a large wolf raced to my side.
The pack stuck to a well-known path that cut through the woods toward the summer campgrounds.
When we got to the mile marker on the trail, Wyatt led a loud round of victory howls before shifting back into his human form. The rest of the pack carried on, following Eloise into the night.
“I knew you were all bored going at my pace. This town needs a gym. Or maybe we need to train for a marathon,” I said, pinching the stitch in my side. “Do you think we can put a treadmill in your grandfather’s study?”
“Our study,” Wyatt corrected with a chuckle, not huffing or panting in the least. “Do you need to rest?”
“Not a chance.” I took off like a shot back toward our home. I caught the flash of his wolfish grin before I raced past him, knowing how good it would be when he caught me.
My heart pounded and blood rushed in my ears.
He was gaining on me.
I could hear his footfalls and could feel his excitement. Now that we were officially bonded, the line of communication we had to each other’s feelings was as clear as a bell. He was ravenous, and it made me ache.
The path veered to the left before straightening out, and I could see the warm glow of streetlights through the tree trunks. I was so close to town, too close. But as soon as I slowed my speed, Wyatt’s forearm wrapped around my middle and I was lifted off my feet.
Even though I was naked, I could hardly feel the chill of the autumnal air with his hot skin on mine. He spun me, and my legs instantly wrapped around his waist as if they had a mind of their own.
Frenzy was going to set in at any moment.
Our kisses couldn’t get deep enough. Our bodies couldn’t get close enough.
I needed so much more.
I whined, incoherently begging for him. A delicious growl rumbled from his chest, and I knew he was just as ready to snap as I was. He lifted my hips, notched the head of his cock to my wet pussy, and looked up into my eyes.
“My mate. My wife.”
I kissed him softly. “My mate.” Another kiss. “My alpha. My husband.”
He thrust into me, the pressure and stretch making my eyes flutter shut and my toes curl. I pushed at his hips, using the leverage to draw myself up then sinking down his length again until I was gasping. I was teetering on the edge of an orgasm already.
Wyatt dropped to his knees, and my ass hit cool earth and damp leaves before he thrust into me, hitting that perfect angle. “Willow—oh fuck,” his husky voice rasped into my ear. “You feel so good. So perfect.”
The pressure was building, and I was spiraling closer to the edge. I could feel Wyatt starting to knot. I’d never felt so full, and the thicker he became, the deeper and rougher he fucked into me. His head fell to my shoulder, and he nipped at the sensitive skin there.
“Bite me,” I demanded, offering him my throat.
Sharp teeth dragged over my skin, the prick of pain only making me more desperate for release. “Please, Wyatt.” I raked my nails down his back as his teeth sank into the crook of my neck.
Pain gave way to pleasure, and I cried out as my pussy convulsed around him. His hips slowed, letting me ride out the orgasm and slowly build another.
I was half delirious when I wrapped my hand around his chin and pulled his gaze to mine. “I need to feel you come inside of me.” My voice cracked, hoarse from moaning and dry from running. “I need you to—please, fuck.”
He pounded into me, losing the last shred of his restraint and driving me to the peak of another thunderous orgasm. His body shuddered, the knot sealing us together as he came. Hearing this sexy wolf man moan out my name made my head swim.
Exhausted, sated, and ridiculously happy, he pulled me into his chest.
I laughed and shook my head.
He kissed my temple. “What?”
“You know, when I moved here, I thought of myself as fairly straitlaced.” My laugh turned giddy in the post-sex afterglow.
“Never in a million years did I think I’d be running naked and making love under the stars.
” I peeked up at him, my heart doubling in size at the look in his eyes. “You bring out my wild side, my mate.”
He grinned. “Never in a million years . . .” He let out a happy sigh.
“I hoped for a happy life. For love. But this—you—the joy I feel even on the hardest days knowing that you and I can face anything . . .” He shook his head, and my eyes misted again.
“You’re more than anything I could’ve ever dreamed of. ”
My smile stretched so wide, it made my cheeks hurt. “And this is only the beginning of our story.”